Faceless mask
by winter goddess yuki onna
Summary: What if Zero wasn't Lelouch but a different person all together? Better then it sounds.


**I own nothing except the story and maybe Zero.**

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It was not Lelouch. For that he felt that he could nearly breathe a sigh of relief for the clean name his friend. But he could not help but feel horrified none the less as he looked at the blood stained disfigured face looming at him through the half darkness, like a thing from a nightmare blood stained and scorched black skin, bones protruding out of the cheeks gleaming early against the pale moonlight of the open fisher above them.

But before he could raise the gun again to shoot this bloodstained monster and terrorist he felt himself falling to the ground.

Kallen looked up, her eyes wide in shock at the true face of Zero, the leader of the Black Knights as her cold and sunken eyes stained in black looking from Suzaku to her and then back again. She could not help but feel that she had seen a look of betrayal in the socket. She looked no older than her. Her body began to shake in horror of what she had just allowed the boy to do.

What had she allowed him to do?

_Brother... I am sorry..._

And then she heard the gun shot.

It was the first time in a long time she had felt the wind against her naked face. And despite its gentle touch that reminded her of C.C. Zero could not help but be reminded of the flames of war that had long ago scorched her and sparked the fire of hate within her. But even so that did not stay her hand as she fired the gun directly through his stomach legs and arms and watched him crumple to the ground like a limp doll. Well the poison she made had worked, not even the Geass command from him to live she had given to him could help him try and live now.

How she hated him, she truly hated him. The traitor of his people...

"Suzaku Kurarugi... Traitor to all his people and one who had sold his soul to the side of pigs and wolves... Despite myself I have left you alive and even attempted to clear you name when you were blamed for the death of that pathetic massacre prince, if only so _he_ would not have his way. Even though you revealed my face I will let you die an honorable death that will stay your ancestors sorrowful tears," Zero said, as she casually walked the remaining paces to the figure on the ground. He couldn't move and he held a hand tightly to his bleeding chest and he watched the figure as she pulled a pair of twin katanas from her waist and without looking tossed another to Kallen. He had not been paying attention and had not noticed as Zero pulled him up to sit on his knees restraint him.

"Q 1, Come up here. Take the sword and stand behind him."

Kallen gulped her nerves resetting and picked up the sword, she knew what to do as she obeyed Zero's command.

"Zero I..."

"Save it... Q 1..." Zero said as she held the sword in her hand looking down at the one on his knees seeing his eyes flicker a deep transparent red and an instant later he began to struggle. Rolling her eye somewhat she knelt down to his eye level, watching as he began to struggle but to no avail.

Suzaku looked away from the glowing eye of the one before him half of him trying to find the simple strength to spit at her but his mouth was too dry.

"You used your powers... like you used to kill Euphy..."

"I do not use my power on Euphimia no... I mearly shot her when we were on the island... And like I said, I will let you die an honorable death..." Zero said simply, and without another word plunged the sword deep into Suzaku's stomach.

"This is your punishment for your crimes... You will atone for your father's murder and many other crimes!" Zero said over the sound of the others screams. With a nod at her Kallen cleanly cut through the boys neck. The head of the boy known as Suzaku Kurarugi, the Knight of Euphina li Britania fell to the ground and rolled down the stairs. Kallen watched it go feeling nothing as she stood by Zero the one who had led them to victory over the filth of Britania.

A small sound drove her back to reality and she looked seeing the other was holding her bleeding face.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked, kneeling down at the others side.

"I'm fine..." the one named Zero say to her, slapping her hand away and then grabbed her collar.

"Tell me... am I what you expected? Are you satisfied? Are you happy you've finally seen the real face of Zero?" she shouted her dull eye free of the power of geass holding her gaze, shaking the girl her by the collar and bringing her close to her face, so close in fact that the red-haired warrior could smell the sulfur and fire charred dead skin.

"No I...!"

Without waiting for another word Zero released the red head, shaking her head grey locks flying.

"I don't blame you for the wanting to know... Just remember this Kallen... There are things are best left unseen and in the darkness. At any rate the settlement has fallen to the Knights of Justice and Japan is now free... The defiles will all be driven out of the land of the rising sun AND THE will finally be free of the shackles of oppression... Zero smiled, looking up at the dawn of the new day.

"Nows all that's left... is him..."

Kallen stayed on the ground where she had fallen trying to her breath. Slowly she got to her feet and walked to join her at the entrance of the cave finally breathing the air of a free Japan for the first time in years, watching as the Black Knights arrived the dawn of a new day.

"They're worried about you. After the battle you left so suddenly..."

"It's fine. Kallen tell me... Who is this Lelouch?"

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**One shot? Who knows... Reviews could change that...**

**Zero went back to the island after she won the fight b/c she wanted to figure out what it was, leaving one of the others in charge of what remained. Since she killed Euphina the special zone and all it entailed did not happen. Ohgi didn't get shot. Lelouch and Nunally are still alive only Lelouch didn't get involved with C.C. As for this Zero, well I'll leave that up to you to imagine. **

**Hmm... I feel like I am leaving something out.**


End file.
